Chapter 7: Human Memory: Retention and Retrieval Flashcards Preview

Introduction to Cognitive Science > Chapter 7: Human Memory: Retention and Retrieval > Flashcards

Flashcards in Chapter 7: Human Memory: Retention and Retrieval Deck (19)
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1
Q

Amnesia

A

Book definition: “A memory deficit due to brain damage. See also anterograde amnesia; retrograde amnesia; Korsakoff syndrome. (p. 173)”

2
Q

Anterograde amnesia

A

Book definition: “Loss of the ability to learn new things after an injury. Contrast with retrograde amnesia. (p. 124, 173)”

Anterograde amnesia involves a partial or complete inability to recall the recent past, while long-term memories from before the event remain intact. This is in contrast to retrograde amnesia, where memories created prior to the injury are lost, but new memories can still be created.

Causes include damage to the hippocampus or surrounding cortices, but is also known to result from ingestion of benzodiazepines (also known as “date rape drugs”) or the so-called “black-out” that can follow alcohol intoxication.

3
Q

Decay theory

A

Book definition: “The theory that forgetting is caused by the spontaneous decay of memory traces over time. Contrast with interference theory. (p. 154)”

4
Q

Declarative memory

A

Book definition: “Explicit knowledge of various facts. Contrast with procedural knowledge. (p. 179)”

5
Q

Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm

A

Book definition: “A paradigm for creating false memories of words by presenting associatively related words. (p. 167)”.

6
Q

Dissociation

A

Book definition: “A demonstration that a manipulation has an effect on performance of one task but not another. Such demonstrations are thought to be important in arguing for different cognitive systems. (p. 175)”

7
Q

Encoding-specificity principle

A

Book definition: “Tulving’s principle that memory is better when the encoding of an item at study matches the encoding at test. (p. 172)”

8
Q

Explicit memory

A

Book definition: “Knowledge that we can consciously recall. Contrast with implicit memory. (p. 175)”

9
Q

False-memory syndrome

A

Book definition: “A term used to describe the condition of false memories of childhood abuse. (p. 166)”

10
Q

Fan effect

A

Book definition: “The phenomenon that the retrieval of memories takes longer as more things are associated with the items composing the original memories. (p. 157)”

11
Q

Implicit memory

A

Book definition: “Knowledge that we cannot consciously recall but that nonetheless manifests itself in our improved performance on some task. Contrast with explicit memory. (p. 175)”

12
Q

Interference theory

A

Book definition: “The theory that forgetting is caused by other memories interfering with the retention of the target memory. Contrast with decay theory. (p. 154)”

13
Q

Korsakoff syndrome

A

Book definition: “An amnesia resulting from chronic alcoholism and nutritional deficit. (p. 173)”

14
Q

Mood congruence

A

Book definition: “The phenomenon that one’s memory is better for studied material whose emotional content matches one’s mood at test. (p. 170)”

15
Q

Power law of forgetting

A

Book definition: “The phenomenon that memory performance deteriorates as a power function of the retention interval. (p. 153)”

16
Q

Priming

A

Book definition: “The enhancement of the processing of a stimulus as a function of prior exposure. (p. 176)”

17
Q

Procedural knowledge

A

Book definition: “Knowledge of how to perform various tasks. Contrast with declarative knowledge. (p. 177)”

18
Q

Retrograde amnesia

A

Book definition: “Loss of memory for things that occurred before an injury. Contrast with anterograde amnesia. (p. 173)”

Patients suffering from this condition are more likely to lose memories closer to the event than remote ones, while the ability to create new memories usually remains intact. This is in contrast to anterograde amnesia, where long-term memories are left intact, but the ability to create new memories is either partially or completely lost.

Causes include damage to the hippocampus or surrounding areas, where the degree of damage is known to cause memory loss ranging from one to 50 years. Can also be caused by traumatic events – a condition known as “psychogenic amnesia”.

19
Q

State-dependent learning

A

Book definition: “The phenomenon that memory performance is better when we are tested in the same emotional and physical state as we were in when we learned the material. (p. 171)”